Things here are far from normal. I’d prefer not to go into detail, but hubby is again very unwell. Nevertheless, I found a way back into the gardening groove. I’ve done a lot in the last few days, without even getting near the years-old stash of seeds.

Wrong time of year, I know, but I planted the rest of the gladiolus hubby bought me last year (it might die, but it will certainly die if leave in the house another year). I also planted snakes-head fritillary, some ordinary lilies, three spider lilies, and about four other types of bulbs he bought for me last year. I’m almost glad he isn’t well enough to be shopping right now as I have hardly any room left! All these seed packets of potential life are kinda breaking my heart. I need about five more acres of land…

I have had a few happy surprises from older plants.

My peony has a bud! Just one, and it is soooo tiny. Today I saw that new shoots are coming up about 4in from the main plant, too. I think she is happy here!

I have an asparagus! One. Ah, well.

Celeriac? I tried some from seed two years ago, no joy. This grew in a poor bonsai that himself bought me – bonsai died (one of the things I’m not good at). I dug it out and moved it to the Stupid Girl raised bed. Hope it keeps going as we have discovered that celeriac is delicious.

Bluebells! Gift from his uncle.

I am pretty sure these gladiolus are coming up way too early. Also shown is the world’s tallest gazania, still going strong. Tallest according to Ark, who should know; they are native to South Africa.

The head of one of the red and black lilies I’ve had for years now. I love how they grow in an anti-clockwise spin.

Ash tree that decided to grow in one of my containers. There aren’t any ash trees nearby at all! One of two I have. They take up a good amount of space, but I have a friend who wants them both for his very wooded property. He is welcome to have them – I figure if they like me, they will like him, too.

My one and only tulip. You can’t tell here, but this is about the size of the top joint of my thumb. It is wee! I dug them all out last year and planted them nice and safe in sunshiney pots… I got one. Oh well! There is always next year.

Mystery things. Look orchid-y with the purple spots, but the stems are just a straight solid shoot. May be another blow in? Garden is now plagued (in a good way) with native orchids.

Rosemary back to its flowering tricks again. Second most neglected herb I have growing in a pot. I’m afraid to let it loose after what the oregano and sage have become (triffids, I’m not kidding).

Who doesn’t love these?

One for Ark – I rarely see grasshoppers here. This one is so tiny, that white thing is a dog hair. Poor thing was also missing one vital back leg. I ushered it into the grass, maybe it will have a chance there.

I was doing so well posting for a while, then…life happened. Oh well. Here’s some catch-up pictures.

Variagated fuscia bush, a gift from the neighbors.

A pretty plant, both close up and over all (the close up bloom pic is the one alllll they way over on the left).

The pinto beans are starting to look happier, if a bit small still.

The heat we had Monday/Tuesday this week helped a lot!

Tomatoes are still struggling. These are smaller than my smallest fingernail. Dammit.

The other hosta is blooming. Okay it’s more lavender than pink, sue me.

Astilbe is fantastic this year! I let it dry to near-death by accident last year, and all the blooms died. This was dug out of a very neglected garden, at least four years ago, from a house my Canadian friend was renting. This is the best it has ever looked. Apparently I scared the life back into it!

Another lily – I do like this one quite a lot. It makes me think of country gardens with huge bushes of pale pink roses. And cream, really fresh cream. Aldi again, planted just last year: “lollipop.”

All the multi-coloured ones are Aldi “pixels mix,” so I had no idea what would come up.

Now for scale!

Very different in heights! The tall one is the yellow and red spotted.

Most of this massively overgrown mess is black lilies, but there are red ones with black spots in there also – and the one wee white and pink one I only found today, hidden in the back. Including the pot, the tallest one is just about 5ft or 1.5m tall.

Okay, so only two pictures. But its’s early days yet, so not many out!

I call this my black lily – of course it isn’t black at all. I have oodles of these, all in pots. They are so tall!

Second year for these guys. Also very tall, but foliage-wise they are skinnier and less leafy than the ‘black’ ones.

And a bit raggedy-looking this year. Something’s been at them.

More to come, I see lots of lilies with closed blooms are changing from green to red or pink or yellow or just darker over all – I have a lot of lilies and forget what colours they all are until they open. Surprises for me, every year!